£00
SHEEP PROJECTS
thrown into three groups: (1) Fine- or short-wooled sheep, grown
chiefly for wool; (2) medium-wooled sheep, grown for beth wool
and mutton; (3) the coarse- or long-wooled sheep, also valued for
wool and mutton.
Fine-wooled Sheep.—This group is almost synonymous with
the Merino group. The wool is fine in quality and the fleeces
heavier, in proportion to the size of the animals, than in other
breeds. The wool is supplied with an abundance of yolk which is
an oily secretion protecting the wool. This accumulates dust and
gives the sheep a dirty appearance. Merinos are all small in size
and angular in build. The bucks and aged animals are used for
mutton of low quality.
Merinos used in America are of three distinct breeds (Fig.
Fic. 271.—Left, American Merino ram showing wrinkles all over except on the back.
Right, Rambouilette or French Merino, showing wrinkles only about the neck and shoulders.
271): (1) American Merino; (2) Rambouillet or French Merino;
(3) Delaine or Spanish Merino. The females are all hornless and
the males have spiral horns. The fine wool covers the body and
legs down to the feet but the nose and ears are usually free from
wool. The American Merino is the smallest and has deep wrinkles
or folds which may be all over the body except on the back. The
Delaine is less wrinkled and somewhat larger. The Rambouillet
is much the largest of the group and has no wrinkles except some-
times on the neck and breast.
The Merinos are the best of all breeds for grazing on the
western plains in large flocks. They are extremely hardy and re-
quire little individual attention. Rambouillet sheep are more used
in small flocks of the Middle West than other types of Merinos.
Medium-wooled Sheep.—Breeds belonging to this type are
much more popular than those of either of the other types because
of their general-purpose character. Their lambs mature sooner
than those of tne larger breeds, or long-wooled sheep. If named
in order of popularity these breeds would be about as follows:
